Ground cover rose plant named `Noare`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of ground cover rose plant is provided which forms substantially continuously throughout the season long-lasting bright velvet red blossoms. The blossoms tend to open on a reliable basis and remain attractive upon aging. The new variety exhibits a compact, spreading and overhanging growth habit that renders it suitable for growing as an ornamental ground cover in the landscape and home garden. The foliage is glossy and contrasts well with the bright velvet red blossoms. The reproductive organs and pollen provide a bright yellow coloration at the center of each fully open blossom. The petals drop off cleanly as the blossoms mature. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by budding and exhibits an excellent resistance to blackspot, mildew, and rust.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Ground cover rose plants are known and are being used to advantage in anincreasing number of landscape plans and home gardens. However, thereremains a need for additional varieties of ground cover roses with thedemand being the greatest for those having highly attractive blossoms incombination with good disease resistance. The new variety of groundcover rose plant of the present invention was created at Gutersloh,Germany by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed whichpreviously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute thedesired characteristics. The female parent(i.e., the seed parent) wasthe `Ricarda` variety (non-patented in the United States). Such`Ricarda` variety possesses deep salmon pink semi-double blossoms. Themale parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was an unnamed seedling thatincluded the `Flower Carpet` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,282) in itsparentage. The parentage of the new variety of the present invention canbe summarized as follows:

    `Ricarda`×Unnamed Seedling.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which physically and biologically differ from eachother. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plantof the new variety that initially was identified as No. 1039-89.

It is found that the new ground cover rose plant of the presentinvention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) forms attractive dark velvet red blossoms with bright yellow pollenand reproductive organs at the center,

(b) exhibits a low, dense, compact and spreading growth habit,

(c) forms attractive glossy foliage that contrasts well with the darkvelvet red blossoms,

(d) exhibits excellent disease resistance with respect to blackspot,mildew, and rust, and

(e) is particularly suited for growing as attractive ornamentation inthe landscape.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown to advantage as attractive ornamentation in parks, gardens,public areas, and residential landscapes. The new variety of the presentinvention from 1989 to date has been found to readily undergo asexualreproduction in Germany by the use of cuttings and by budding. Suchasexual reproduction as performed in Germany has shown that thecharacteristics of the new variety are homogeneous and stable and arestrictly transmissible from one generation to another. The new varietyhas been named the `Noare` variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in color illustrations of this character,typical specimens of the new variety while growing in the landscape. Theillustrated rose plants were photographed during July, 1997, whilegrowing in the field at Gutersloh, Germany. Such plants had been buddedapproximately one year earlier. The blossoms retain their attractiveappearance even upon aging (as illustrated).

FIG. 1 illustrates a profusion of glossy dark green foliage and buds andblossoms in various stages of opening.

FIG. 2 illustrates a closer view of the blossoms wherein the brightvelvet red coloration is shown to contrast nicely with the bright yellowstigmas and pollen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart) of London, England. Colorterminology in common terms sometimes is included as an aid to thereader. The description is based on the observation of specimens of thenew variety while growing outdoors during July at Gutersloh, Germany.

Class: Ground cover.

Parentage:

Female.--`Ricarda` (non-patented in the United States).

Male.--`Unnamed Seedling` (non-patented in the United States) having aparentage that includes the `Flower Carpet` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No.7,282).

Plant:

Form.--Vigorous, compact and spreading, well covers the ground, andassumes an ideal ground cover growth habit.

Size.--A typical one year-old plant growing in the landscape commonlyassumes a height of approximately 40 to 50 cm. and a width ofapproximately 50 cm., and a typical two year-old plant growing in thelandscape commonly assumes a height of approximately 70 cm, and a widthof approximately 70 cm.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: light green, Green Group 137B, and with a smoothsurface. Adult wood: medium dark green, Green Group 136B, darker thanyoung stems, and with a smooth surface.

Thorns.--Size: medium, approximately 6 mm. in length on average, andslightly curved downward. Position: irregular. Color: initially lightred-brown, near Red Group 47A, and changing to dark brown with maturity.Quantity: average.

Leaves:

Stiples.--Dark green, Green Group 136B, in coloration.

Petioles.--Near Green Group 138A in coloration.

Leaflets.--Number: commonly 5. Configuration: oval and pointed.Quantity: very abundant. Size: medium to large approximately 3 cm. inlength and about 1.5 cm in width. Serration: slightly serrate. Color(young foliage): Upper surface: light green, Green Group 138A. Undersurface: lighter green than upper surface, near Green Group 138B. Color(adult foliage): Upper surface: slightly darker than young foliage,Green Group 135A. Under surface: somewhat darker green than new foliage,Green Group 135B. General appearance: dense, green foliage that isglossy on the upper surface and matte on the under surface. Texture:leathery. Stipules: dark green in coloration, near Green Group 136B.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Numerous and commonly in large sprays ofapproximately 20 to 25 blossoms.

Peduncle.--Medium green in coloration, near Green Group 138B,approximately 2 cm in length.

Pedicels.--Approximately 1.5 to 2 cm in length.

Sepals.--Commonly extend beyond the bud and are pointed, and commonlyapproach Green Group 138B in coloration.

Buds.--Shape: initially pointed (as illustrated). Length: approximately2.5 to 3 cm. on average. Color when opening: soft dark velvet red, RedGroup 46B.

Flower.--Form: initially cup-shaped with flattening upon maturity.Appearance: velvety on both petal surfaces. Diameter: approximately 4cm. on average. Color (when opening begins): Upper surface: primarilybright velvet red, Red Group 46B. Under surface: primarily bright velvetred, Red Group 46A. Color (when blooming): Upper surface: primarilybright velvet red, Red Group 46B, with the pollen and reproductiveorgans at the center becoming visible to provide attractivelycontrasting bright yellow coloration. Under surface: primarily Red Group46A. Color (at end of opening): Upper surface: the velvet red colorationtends to change to near Red-Purple Group 74B just before the petalsdrop. Under surface: the velvet red coloration tends to change to nearRed-Purple Group 74A just before the petals drop. Fragrance: none.Lasting quality: very good, with the blossoms commonly lastingapproximately three days on the plant and approximately 2 to 3 days whencut and placed in a vase. Petal form: broad, fan-shaped, curved with alightly indented central margin and the outer corners of the petalscommonly are slightly pointed to the center. Petaloids: commonly none.Petal number: approximately 7 to 8 on average. Petal arrangement:generally arranged in a regular pattern with overlapping edges. Petaldrop: good with a clean disengagement of the petals. Stamens: regularlyarranged around the styles. Filaments: regularly arranged around thestyles and are nearly transparent in appearance. Pollen: bright yellowin coloration (as illustrated). Stigmas: bright yellow in coloration,Yellow Group 6B (as illustrated). Styles: thin, regularly arrangedaround the center, and tend to be of substantially the same length.Hips: small, round, dark green in coloration which is near thecolorations as that of the petals.

Development:

Vegetation.--Strong and vigorous.

Blooming.--In large sprays.

Aptitude to bear fruits.--Few in number unlike the `Flower CarpetYellow` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,527).

Winter hardiness.--Good, and comparable to that of the `Flower CarpetWhite` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,573).

Resistance to diseases.--Excellent with respect to blackspot, mildew,and rust.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of ground cover rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsattractive dark velvet red blossoms with bright yellow pollen andreproductive organs at the center, (b) exhibits a low, dense, compactand spreading growth habit, (c) forms attractive glossy foliage thatcontrasts well with the dark velvet red blossoms, (d) exhibits excellentdisease resistance with respect to blackspot, mildew, and rust, and (e)is particularly suited for growing as attractive ornamentation in thelandscape;substantially as herein shown and described.